Winter Shireland
by Ranger ari
Summary: Just a fic about a young Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin one winter's day. Oh, the wonders of snow!


Well, since my computer is acting weird and I'm going through writer's block, here's a cute (I hope) one chap fic starring the little people. Frodo and company are around the age of six (yes, I know their ages are widely spaced, so consider this AU if ya want.) Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own LotR, it belongs to the Great Tolkien. ALL HAIL!!!  
  
The morning sun rose over a grey mountain of clouds floating above the Shire. As soon as light crept into his cozy room inside Bag End, Frodo Baggins sprang from his bed and dashed to the window. Sure enough, a foot of snow blanketed the hillside, just as Merry had predicted. A huge grin spread across the young hobbit's face, and he dashed out of his room and down the hall to his uncle's.  
  
"Bilbo! Bilbo!" Frodo shrieked happily as he leaped and landed on Bilbo's wide bed, nearly scaring the older hobbit out of his wits. "Snow! It snowed, uncle!"  
  
Bilbo blinked sleepily at his nephew as his wits began to return to him, then smiled as the news of snowfall sank in. "Of course it did, my lad. Merry is never wrong predicting the weather, now, is he?"  
  
Frodo shook his head quite seriously, making Bilbo chuckle. "Come along, then, Frodo. Let's get some breakfast so you can go outside."  
  
A hearty meal of soft, warm biscuits, pancakes dripping in syrup, and the last fruit from the Baggins's garden disappeared almost as soon as it was set on Frodo's little round table near the kitchen hearth. When at last he could eat no more he set down his fork.  
  
"I'm full, Uncle Bilbo," the young hobbit said excitedly. "May I go outside now?"  
  
Bilbo looked over to his nephew sitting at a tiny round table, his large plate empty before him. After quickly adding a log to the fire crackling under his tea, he lifted the squirming hobbit from his seat. Immediately Frodo scurried down to the bedroom hall to find his winter clothes, sliding on the stone floor and nearly running into the rounded corner of the hobbit hole.  
  
"I must put a rug near that corner," Bilbo muttered to himself, and returned to the task of making his tea.  
  
Frodo was nearly bouncing with elation as Bilbo fastened the last buttons on his thick winter coat. Outside Merry and Pippin's joyful shouts could be heard from halfway across the Shire.  
  
"Are you ready, Frodo?" Bilbo asked mischievously. Frodo nodded so vigorously that Bilbo feared he would pass out. "Alright, alright. You be careful now, and throw a snowball at Merry for me," Bilbo said with a wink.  
  
The dark haired hobbit giggled. "I will, Uncle Bilbo."  
  
With that, Frodo raced from his room as fast as he could, pulled open the round door that was the entrance to Bag End and dashed into the flurry of white snowdrifts outside.  
  
"No, you're not, I am!" Pippin declared triumphantly, climbing to the top of a steep hillside beside his cousin. Merry stuck out his tongue.  
  
"You are not the bravest hobbit in the Shire, Pip. Not by a long shot."  
  
"I think Merry's right," Frodo announced as he finally caught up with his cousins the top of the hill, panting for breath.  
  
Pippin stuck his lower lip out in an obvious pout and folded his short arms across his chest. "Hmph. Well I can roll down this hill faster than you can, Merry."  
  
"Can not!"  
  
"Can too!" With that, Pippin curled into a ball and tumbled down the hillside, followed closely by his cousin. Frodo watched the race, eyes wide, wondering who would finish first. Just before the race was over, however, he glanced around the snowy earth and spotted the most wondrous looking thing he had ever seen. A gigantic piece of bark from an old tree had blown close to Frodo's feet. Wide-eyed, the little hobbit put a hand on the nearly six foot long dark chestnut bark, his woolen mitten slipping on its smooth underside.  
  
"I won!" Pippin shrieked proudly from the bottom of the hill, puffing out his chest in an attempt to look heroic. Merry sniggered at his cousin's funny pose and charged back up the slope, Pippin close behind.  
  
"What's that, Frodo?" Merry gasped out before falling face first into the snow at Frodo's feet. Frodo lifted the big piece of bark and displayed it to his cousin. Pippin nearly ran into it as he staggered up behind Merry.  
  
"I dunno. Do you think it's treasure, like Uncle Bilbo's?" Frodo pondered aloud.  
  
"Maybe it's a blanket, and we're all having a picnic!" Merry said, taking the bark from Frodo and setting it on the ground.  
  
"That's probably it," Frodo agreed and poured some snow on the 'blanket'.  
  
Pippin grinned and sat next to the snow pile. "Mmm, biscuits!"  
  
Merry shoved him over and took his place. "Goodie!"  
  
Frodo dove and landed on top of Merry. "More for me!"  
  
With that, the three hobbits began the epic battle of See-who-can- stay-on-the-bark-longest, which shall go down in Shire history as 'What in Eru's name is that racket?' because that was what nearly every hobbit within a league of the youngsters exclaimed as they were awakened by their shrieks. Because of this, none of the laughing halflings noticed Sam Gamgee behind them, coming to see what his friends were up to and what in the Shire the ruckus was. Upon seeing the great battle taking place, Sam smiled and started running toward them, only to trip on a rather large rock and knock the 'blanket' of bark over the hill, taking Frodo with it. The terrified hobbit screamed wildly as the bark flew over the snow, rushing downward and gaining speed. As Frodo reached the bottom of the slope, the bark piece swerved into the path of a snowdrift and crashed with a fountain of white.  
  
Merry, Pippin and Sam froze, mouths open, as Frodo dug his way out of the snow pile. For a moment he stood frozen, mouth open in shock. Suddenly the snow covered Baggins shouted, "That was fun!"  
  
The three hobbits cheered as Frodo pulled the piece of bark back to his companions.  
  
"Hurray! Frodo's the bravest hobbit in the Shire!" Pippin yelled.  
  
"Me next!" Merry exclaimed, but Pippin made a dive for their newfound sled. Merry grabbed his cousin's coat and was dragged down with him as the bark started to move. The two youngsters shrieked in delight as they plunged downward in a flurry of freshly fallen snow.  
  
"What a nice sled you have, Mr. Frodo," Sam said as Merry and Pippin collided with a snowdrift. "Can I have a turn?"  
  
"Of course, Sam," Frodo replied. To himself he whispered, "I think sledding is my new favorite thing to do." 


End file.
